Road form



Oct. 21 1924. 1,512,165

V. E. FUNKHOUSER y ROAD FORM Filed April 20. 1921 Patented Oct. 21, 1924.

UNITED STATES VERNON E. FUNKHOUSER, OjF KANSAS CITY,k MISSOURI.

ROAD FORM.

Application filed April 20, 1921.

To all whom t may conce/m.'

Be it known that I, VERNON E. FUNK- HoUsER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Road Forms; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear7 and exact description of the invention, such as willenable others skilled in 1o the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and gures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this speciiication.

.This invention relates to road forms and one of the objects of the invention is to provide a road form which has special advantages over known types of road forms. For example, according to the present invention, the pedestal for the rail may be adjusted longitudinally thereof to provide an anchor for the rail at any convenient point, thus permitting adjustment of the pedestal on either side of a boulder, stump or other obstruction which, with the ordinary forms having fixed pedestals, would not be convenient.

I have also provided means whereby the aligning rails can be connected by adjustingv the pedestals so as to overlap their meeting edges and the proper vertical alignment of the respective rails may also be accomplished by vertically adjusting the pedestal on the anchor postor stake,

The pedestals can be conveniently and easily constructed and as easily assembled in the rails so that any number of pedestals can be attached to a rail which may be required due to the nature of the ground and these may be as easily detached when expedient.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of parts of two aligning rails which are connected by a pedestal constructed in accorda-nce with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view through a form showing the rail in section and the pedestal and anchor post or pin in elevation, and Y Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of one of the pedestals.

The form is shown as comprising a plurality of units, each of which consists of a grooved rail having a longitudinally adjustable pedestal vertically adjustable upon Serial No. 462,794.

anchor posts or stakes. Each rail is shown as comprising a channel having a vertical web 1, a top flange 2 with a depending edge 3 to form a guideway, and a bottom flange 00 4 havingan upturned edge 5 to constitute a lower guideway. The preferred form of pedestal is best shown in Fig. 3 as comprising a foot plate 6 guided on the bottom or floor 4 of the form rail with the pro- 65 jecting edge 7 extending into the groove 8, formed by the upstanding, inturned edge 5 of the flange 4;. A vertical wall 9 extends from the foot plate 6 to a point adjacent to the top flange 2 and is bent over, as at 10, 70 approximately the width of the flange 2 and is then bent downwardly to form a brace kplate 11, secured to the foot plate 7 by fastening devices, as rivets 12. The brace plate 11 carries a socket member shown as con- 75 sisting of a T plate 13, having a loop or barrel-shaped portion 14 with iianges 15 and 16 fastened to the web of the bracket and carrying an adjusting screw 17 adapted to impinge against the anchor post or stake 18, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

lhen the form is being laid, the aligning rails may be brought together end to end and a pedestal slid along in the channel rail until it overlaps the edges of adjacent rails, as shown in Fig. 1, so that the pedestal will constitute a connector as well as constitute part of the anchor for securing the form in place.

It the ground is relatively soft, any number of pedestals may be introduced into the grooved form rail to make the rail secure. Where harder ground is present, the number of pedestals and anchor posts required may be reduced.

W'here the ground is irregular, the socket members can be adjusted vertically on the anchor posts or pins so as to maintain the proper grade; thus supporting the form rail at the desired height preliminary to laying the road bed. This is a material advantage, as will he clearly apparent.

rllhere is also an advantage in longitudinally mounting the pedestals within the rail because if the pedestals are fixed, their nuinber will be the same for each rail, irrespective of the character of the ground, whereas by providing for longitudinal movement and the addition and subtraction of the pedestals, it is obvious that the number for each 11o rail may be varied to suit the ground requirements.

It will also be a parent that the lock for the meeting en s of' the rails can be easily made by sliding the pedestal to overlap adjacent ends and the vertical adjustment provides for ease in assembling and aligning the parts preparatory to laying down the road bed.

I prefer to construct the p'edestals of sheet metal with the ends of the :toot plates extending. beyond the pedestals proper, as shown, although if desired the pedestals can be made to consist of castings. The sheet metal construction, however, has certain advantages over castings in that. they can be more conveniently constructed, will be lighter, and will afford just as eiiicient a bracing and anchoring means as the cast pedestals.

It will also be apparent that on account of the vertical adjustment of the pedestal with respect to the anchor post or pin and the fact that the pedestal is carried by the rail that the pedestal will constitute a bridge between meeting` ends of aligning rails when the rails are supported above the ground.V

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters-Patent is:

1. A road form member comprising a rail having a vertical web, top and bottom outstanding flanges carried by Said web, a downwardly bent edge on one flange, an upwardly and inwardly bent edge on the other iange, one edge facing the other, a pedestal mounted in the channel formed by the web andthe flanges and havinga foot plate resting upon one of the flanges and provided with an extension extending into the groove formed by the upwardly and inwardly turned ed e, th-efother end of the pedestal being hel in position by the edge of the other flange, and an anchoring means'for said pedestal. n e

2. A road form member comprising a rail having a vertical web, top and bottom outstanding flanges carried by said web, a downwardly bent edge on one flange, an upwardly and inwardly bent edge on the other flange, one edge facing the other, a pedestal. mounted in the channel formed by the web and the flanges and having a foot plate resting upon one of the flanges and provided with an extension extending into thek groove formed by the upwardly and inwardly turned edge, the other end of thefpedestal being held in position by the edge of the other ange, an anchoring means for said pedestal comprising a stake, and means on the pedestal for Vertical adjustment on the stake.

In testimony whereof- I aliiX my signature. VERNON E. FUNKHOUSER. 

